Dawnhopper
by Orcishboy
Summary: Sequel to "The Rat Files". Follows the episode "Older and Faraway", Rat is teaching Dawn how to fight when their lesson is interrupted.


**Dawnhopper**

Sequel to **The Rat Files.** Takes place after Older and Faraway, Matt "The Rat" Rensfield is training Dawn when their lesson is interrupted.

"Okay Rat, try to relax", Rat muttered to himself. "Just because the girl of your dreams is coming over, there is no reason to panic. It's just a training session. But what if I hurt her? What if she yells at me for hurting her? What if-"

"Master Matt", Hunsha cut in, "you need to, as you say, 'chill out'. I know for a fact that you can be gentle as a lamb when you want to be"

"Thanks Hunsha", Rat replied, "and don't call me 'Master Matt', it's Rat. Now go on to your poker game, Clem and the rest of the guys are waiting"

"I can't just leave you unattended", Hunsha argued.

"I told you Hunsha, Dawn's older than me, so she can be my babysitter. Now go!" Hunsha left just as Dawn came in.

"Take care of him, will you", he mutters to her.

"So Dawn", Rat says once Hunsha is out of sight, "What shall we do first? I was thinking dinner and a movie followed by training."

"Nice try Rat", Dawn says, "Let's just start fighting, I told Buffy I'd be home by ten"

"Fair enough", Rat said, sounding slightly disappointed, "Let's go down to the basement and get a couple of training swords. They go down and Dawn can't believe her eyes. There were gadgets and weapons everywhere. One wall was covered in swords and axes of all models. "Welcome to the Bat Cave", Rat said.

"What's this", Dawn asks, pointing at what appeared to be some sort of laser.

"I call it 'the sun gun'", Rat answers, "I leave it out for a few days so it can build up solar energy. Then I can just aim fire and, poof, no more vampire. But what I really want you to see is this, but you've got to keep it secret. Hunsha doesn't even know about this." He guided Dawn over to a table with something very large under a sheet. Just to annoy the readers, I'm not telling what it is yet. But you'll find out later. "This will be my, I mean our greatest invention ever" They then grabbed a couple of wooden swords and went up to Rat's training room, a room with a floor cove3red in wrestling mats. "I'm afraid I don't know many specific moves", Rat says, "I usually just swing and stab when I see an opening. So you'll just have to play it by ear" Rat then took a swing at Dawn's waist, which she easily blocked. "Very good Dawn. I'm guessing you've watched your sister" They continue to spar until Dawn has Rat beside her with her sword across his throat.

"Looks like I've won", she says triumphantly.

"You'd think so, wouldn't you?", Rat replies. He then drives his elbow into Dawn"s stomach and, at the same time, steps hard on her foot. This causes her to lower sword. Rat takes the opportunity to wrench Dawn's sword from her hands and raise the tip to her throat.. "It's a primitive, but effective move I picked up", Rat explains. Then, before they knew what had happened, two vampires tackled Rat and another snuck up behind Dawn and held a sword across her throat. Rat quickly threw the vampires off him, stood up, and saw at least two dozen vampires throughout his lair.

"Well, well, well.", The apparent leader said, "Looks like we've finally found our trophy"

"Trophy?", Rat said, "I'm just a dhampir. If you want a real trophy, go after the slayer." Dawn gave him an angry look.

"We don't just want to kill you", the leader said, "We want to avenge our master"

"Again, that was the slayer", Rat said, "The slayer killed the Master"

"Not THE Master", the leader replied, "Our master, R. M. Rensfield"

"Oh!", Rat said, "you're my father's minions. Hey how did you get in here anyways? I didn't invite you"

"You're half vampire, so we don't need an invitation.", the leader replied. Rat began to reach for his gun and knife, but the leader said, "Make one wrong move, and your friend dies." Rat thought for a moment, then said,

"If I do as you say, do I have your word that you'll let her go?" The leader scowled and replied,

"You have my word, my men won't hurt her. But only if you do as we say. We want to fight you with our weapons while you fight unarmed."

"Very well", Rat said, a hint of fear in his voice. He then through his gun and knife aside and raised his fists. All at once ten vampires with stakes came at him, but he jumped out of the way, making them all run into each other. A few actually staked each other and dusted. Then another vampire took a swing at Rat with a sword, slashing his stomach. Being a dhampir, this wasn't fatal to Rat, but it still hurt. Rat responded by kicking the vampire in the crotch, making him crumple to the ground. But then all the vampires except the one holding Dawn ran at him, stabbing at him like crazy. All the while Dawn had to watch, then she got an idea. At the same time, Dawn stepped down hard on the vampire's foot an drove her elbow into his stomach, just like Rat did to her. The vampire loosened his grip on her and his sword. Dawn grabbed his sword and quickly decapitated the vampire. "Looks like you just lost your bargaining chip", Rat said. He then grabbed on of the vampires' swords and sliced through his attackers, he grabbed Dawn and led her down to the Bat Cave. They came back up a minute later with the sun gun. "Hey Dawn", Rat said, "Did I show you this feature, wide angle blast?" He twisted a knob on the gun and pulled the trigger. A great wave of sunlight came out, dusting the remaining vampires. Just then, Hunsha came in and looked at Rat and all the ash. He then looks at Dawn and says

"Well, some babysitter you turned out to be."

**The End**


End file.
